The municipal area is situated in the western part of the Little Karoo and includes the towns of Ladismith, Calitzdorp and Zoar.

The municipality covers an area of 4,758 square kilometres (1,837 sq mi) in the Little Karoo, stretching from the Swartberg in the north to the Langeberg in the south, and from the Anysberg in the west to the Gamkaberg in the east.

The towns of Ladismith, Calitzdorp and Van Wyksdorp were governed by municipal councils elected by their white residents.

The coloured residents of Nissenville (Ladismith) and Calitzdorp were governed by management committees subordinate to the white councils.

While the negotiations to end apartheid were taking place a process was established for local authorities to agree on voluntary mergers.

[6] A short-lived coalition led by the DA took power after the December 2000 local government elections, but it collapsed when the single PAC councillor withdrew his support, and the ANC took control of the council in March 2001.

In 2011 the auditor-general declared that he could not give a clear statement about the financial situation in the municipality because the records are missing and no one seemed to know where they were.

[8] After almost a decade of financial problems an attempt to restore order was underway in 2011 [9] In the election of 18 May 2011 the council was reduced in size to seven seats.

[16] The Democratic Alliance spokesperson on local government stated that the party would side with the ANC in order to keep the Independent Civic Organisation away from the public purse.

This follows forensic evidence detailing financial misconduct that amounted to more than R14 million under Jeffrey Donson's tenure.